COVID-19 Program Updates

Byron the Barred Owl (Strix varia)

Byron came to Chewonki in 1990, in the fall of her first year. This sweet girl was found in Brunswick with a gunshot wound in her wing. She was brought to a veterinarian, where it was decided that her wing was so badly injured that they performed a surgery and removed that wing. This is not a common practice any more since it was discovered that having both wings helps them to balance and stay warm, but Byron does really well moving around using her tail feathers to help her balance. She is non-releasable, but still wild at heart.

Sparky the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Sparky arrived here in 1994 after being found on the ground in Yarmouth, Maine. It is believed that he flew into some power lines, most likely distracted by a potential meal (I mean who doesn’t get distracted by delicious food), which caused him to fall and break his wing in multiple places. Bird wings are difficult to heal properly due to their bones being hollow (lighter for flight). He is non-releasable since he cannot fly, but he still gets to travel all over Maine with Chewonki. Did you figure out why he is called Sparky?

Varia the Barred Owl (Strix varia)

Varia came to us in 2003, from the Center for Wildlife in Cape Nedick, Maine. She was found on the side of the road with a fracture in her wing. Due to her injury, some of the ligaments in the wing didn’t heal properly, so she is unable to fully open her left wing to fly. The name Varia came from the scientific name for a Barred Owl, Strix varia. She is very curious and often shows off how far an owl can turn its head in different directions.